Quinceanera in Havana

We found this beautiful girl posing for photos with a local professional photographer in the driveway under the arch of our hotel. She was preparing to celebrate her Quinceanera, or fifteenth birthday next month. Apparently the photos are done well in advance, and the Hotel Nacional de Cuba sees many brides and Quinceaneras come to do photos every day of the week.

When he finished, I asked the photographer, and the girl, if I could offer some suggestions, and took her out in front of the arch for a spin.

We had already finished shooting, when a lavender Chevy pulled up.....naturally, I made her go back to work! Her photographer didn't bother to take this shot, and I didn't think to get her contact info until it was too late.

She had disappeared to change into her next dress for another portrait. We saw her again from our 7th floor window at the Nacional, posing in a red dress, with the Malecon and the Caribbean in the background. By the time we rushed downstairs to trade addresses with her, she was gone.

From the hotel concierge, we learned that some girls change over half a dozen times to do these portraits, the dresses are usually rented, and they spend all day taking photos (not to mention doing hair an makeup). Sometimes the girls rent a space in the hotel for the multiple outfit changes. I guess that means sometimes they don't. I wonder which dress she would choose to wear for the party? I loved the lavender.....and I would definitely rent the car to match!

Stay tuned for the day we saw the two brides who got married together. We ran into them twice, in two very different locations, on the same day!

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